Circuit protection device and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a circuit protection device and a method of manufacturing the same. The circuit protection device includes a common mode noise filter having a plurality of sheets, each of the sheets being formed to optionally include a coil pattern, an internal electrode, a hole filled with a conductive material, and a hole filled with a magnetic material; and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having a plurality of sheets, each of the sheets being formed to optionally include an internal electrode and a hole filled with an ESD protection material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a circuit protection device and amethod of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a circuitprotection device formed as a single composite device by laminating asolenoid-type common mode noise filter and an electro static discharge(hereinafter, referred to as “ESD”) protection device, and a method ofmanufacturing the circuit protection device.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, electronic devices such as mobile phones, home appliances,PCs, PDAs, LCDs and navigators have been gradually digitalized andoperated at high speed. Because such electronic devices are sensitive toa stimulus from the outside, their circuits may be damaged or signalsmay be distorted when small abnormal voltages and high-frequency noisesare introduced into internal circuits of the electronic devices from theoutside.

Switching voltages generated in circuits, power noises contained inpower voltages, unnecessary electromagnetic signals, electromagneticnoises, and the like cause such abnormal voltages and noises. A filteris used as a means for preventing such abnormal voltages andhigh-frequency noises from being introduced into a circuit.

In a general differential signal transmission system, in addition tocommon mode noise filters for eliminating common mode noises, passivecomponents such as diodes and varistors should be separately used toprevent ESD that may be generated at input/output terminals. If theseparate passive components are used at the input/output terminals tocope with ESD, a mounting area is broadened, manufacturing cost isincreased, and signal distortion or the like is generated.

For example, in order to prevent ESD using a varistor, one end of thevaristor is connected to an input/output terminal, and the other end ofthe varistor is connected to a ground terminal, and thereby electroniccomponents in an electronic device are protected. However, the varistorfunctions as a capacitor in a normal operating state of an electronicdevice to which a transient voltage is not applied. Since capacitance ofa capacitor is changed at a high frequency, signal distortion or thelike may be generated when a varistor is used at a high-frequency orhigh-speed data input/output terminal or the like.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a circuit protectiondevice, wherein a common mode noise filter and an ESD protection deviceare implemented as a single composite device to solve the aforementionedproblems, and a method of manufacturing the circuit protection device.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a circuitprotection device implemented as a composite device by laminating andcompressing: a common mode noise filter, in which holes filled with amagnetic material are formed in the center of a plurality of sheets anda coil pattern is formed around the holes; and an ESD protection deviceformed with holes filled with an ESD protection material to solve theaforementioned problems; and a method of manufacturing the circuitprotection device.

Still another aspect of the present invention provides a circuitprotection device implemented as a single composite device by laminatingand compressing a common mode noise filter, which has ascrew-thread-shaped coil surrounding a magnetic core formed bylaminating magnetic layers formed on a plurality of sheets, and an ESDprotection device which has an ESD protection material embedded in aplurality of sheets, and a method of manufacturing the circuitprotection device.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention provides a circuitprotection device implemented as a single composite device by laminatingand compressing a common mode noise filter and an ESD protection devicefilled with ESD protection material, and a method of manufacturing thecircuit protection device, in which a coil unit is manufactured bylaminating a plurality of sheets and by connecting internal electrodesto each other through holes to be wound around magnetic layers and thecoil unit is inserted into a coil unit insertion space of a coilinsertion unit formed by laminating a plurality of sheets.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided acircuit protection device, which includes: a common mode noise filterhaving a plurality of sheets, each of the sheets being formed tooptionally include a coil pattern, an internal electrode, a hole filledwith a conductive material, and a hole filled with a magnetic material;and an ESD protection device having a plurality of sheets, each of thesheets being formed to optionally include an internal electrode and ahole filled with an ESD protection material.

The circuit protection device may further include an insulating sheetbetween the common mode noise filter and the ESD protection device, andupper and lower cover layers respectively formed on a top of the commonmode noise filter and a bottom of the ESD protection device.

The circuit protection device may further include first externalelectrodes formed to be connected to some of the internal electrodes ofthe common mode noise filter and the ESD protection device; and secondexternal electrodes formed to be connected to some of the internalelectrodes of the ESD protection device, wherein the first externalelectrodes are connected between an input/output terminal and a circuit,and the second external electrodes are connected to a ground terminal.

The common mode noise filter may include a first sheet having a firsthole filled with a magnetic material formed thereon; a second sheethaving a first coil pattern, a first internal electrode, a first holefilled with a conductive material and a second hole filled with amagnetic material formed thereon; a third sheet having a second coilpattern, a second internal electrode, second and third holes filled witha conductive material and a third hole filled with a magnetic materialformed thereon; and a fourth sheet having third and fourth internalelectrodes, and a fourth hole filled with magnetic material formedthereon, wherein the first coil pattern is connected to the thirdinternal electrode through the first and second holes filled with theconductive material, and the second coil pattern is connected to thefourth internal electrode through the third hole filled with theconductive material.

The common mode noise filter may include a first sheet having at leastone first hole filled with a magnetic material; a second sheet in whichat least one first coil pattern is formed from at least one firstinternal electrode exposed to an outside thereof to at least one firsthole formed at a predetermined region to be filled with a conductivematerial, the first coil pattern surrounding at least one second holefilled with a magnetic material; a third sheet in which at least onesecond coil pattern is formed from at least one second internalelectrode exposed to an outside thereof to at least one second holeformed at a predetermined region to be filled with a conductivematerial, wherein the second coil pattern surrounds at least one thirdhole filled with a magnetic material, and at least one third hole filledwith a conductive material is formed to be spaced apart from the atleast one second hole on the third sheet; and a fourth sheet in which afourth hole filled with at least one magnetic material is formed, atleast one third internal electrode which is connected to the first coilpattern through the first and third holes filled with the conductivematerial and exposed to an outside is formed, and at least one fourthinternal electrode which is connected to the second coil pattern throughthe second hole filled with the conductive material and exposed to anoutside is formed.

The first and second coil patterns may be formed in a spiral shapesurrounding the first to the fourth holes filled with the magneticmaterial.

The sheets of the ESD protection device may include a first sheet havinga plurality of first internal electrodes formed extending from apredetermined region to be exposed to an outside thereof and are spacedapart from one another; a second sheet having a plurality of first holesspaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance and filledwith the ESD protection material; a third sheet having second and thirdinternal electrodes respectively formed on top and bottom surfaces topass through portions corresponding to the plurality of first holes; afourth sheet having a plurality of second holes formed at positionscorresponding to the plurality of first holes and filled with the ESDprotection material; and a fifth sheet having a plurality of fourthinternal electrodes formed extending from positions corresponding to theplurality of first and second holes to be exposed to an outside thereof.

The upper and lower cover layers, the common mode noise filter and theESD protection device may be formed of nonmagnetic sheets.

The ESD protection material may include a mixture in which an organicmaterial is mixed with one conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt,Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W and combinations thereof.

The ESD protection material may be prepared by further mixing a varistormaterial or an insulating ceramic material with the mixture.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda circuit protection device including a common mode noise filterincluding a coil pattern surrounding a magnetic material and an internalelectrode connected to the coil patterns; and an ESD protection devicelaminated to and jointed with the common mode noise filter, the ESDprotection device including an ESD protection material filled in a holeand an internal electrode connected to the ESD protection material.

The common mode noise filter and the ESD protection device may be formedby laminating sheets of the same material.

The magnetic material may be filled in the holes passing through thesheets.

The ESD protection device may have a capacitance of 1 pF or less.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of manufacturing a circuit protection device, whichincludes: preparing a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets; optionallyforming holes in the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets; optionally fillingthe holes of the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets with a magneticmaterial, a conductive material or an ESD protection material;optionally forming internal electrodes or coil patterns on the pluralityof nonmagnetic sheets; laminating and compressing the nonmagnetic sheetsand then cutting the laminate; and sintering the laminate and thenforming external electrodes to be connected to the internal electrode.

Advantageous Effects

As described above, according to the present invention, a circuitprotection device is formed as a single device by laminating asolenoid-type common mode noise filter and an ESD protection device, andthe circuit protection device is disposed between a circuit andinput/output terminals of an electronic device, so that common modenoises and ESD of the electronic device can be simultaneously preventedusing a single chip device.

As described above, according to the present invention, there isprovided a circuit protection device implemented as a single compositedevice formed by laminating and compressing a common mode noise filter,which has a screw-thread-shaped coil surrounding a magnetic core formedby laminating magnetic layers formed on a plurality of sheets, and anESD protection device which has an ESD protection material embedded in aplurality of sheets, and a method of manufacturing the circuitprotection device; or by laminating and compressing a common mode noisefilter and an ESD protection device filled with ESD protection material,wherein a coil unit is manufactured by laminating a plurality of sheetsand by winding internal electrodes around magnetic layers filled inholes, and the coil unit is inserted into a coil unit insertion space ofa coil insertion unit formed by laminating a plurality of sheets.

The circuit protection device implemented as described above is disposedbetween a circuit and input/output terminals of an electronic device, sothat common mode noises and ESD of the electronic device can besimultaneously prevented using a single chip device. Accordingly, thecircuit protection device is manufactured in the form of a single chipto have a compact configuration as compared with a conventional art inwhich discrete devices are used to prevent common mode noises and ESD,so that an increase in size of an electronic device can be prevented, amounting area can be remarkably reduced, and input/output signaldistortion can be prevented by implementing a low-capacity ESDprotection device to thereby enhance the reliability of the electronicdevice.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a circuitprotection device according to a first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit protection deviceaccording to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the circuit protection deviceaccording to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing the circuitprotection device according to the first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a circuitprotection device according to a second exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit protection deviceaccording to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the circuit protection deviceaccording to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit protection deviceaccording to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 9 (a) to 9 (f) are plan views of respective sheets of a commonmode noise filter of the circuit protection device according to thethird exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing thecircuit protection device according to the third exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit protection deviceaccording to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a circuit protection deviceaccording to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a circuit protection deviceaccording to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a coil unit of the circuitprotection device according to the sixth exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing thecircuit protection device according to the sixth exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a circuitprotection device according to a first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of thecircuit protection device.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the circuit protection device according tothe first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed bylaminating a plurality of insulating sheets including an upper coverlayer 100, a common mode noise filter 200, an ESD protection device 300and a lower cover layer 400 from the top. The circuit protection devicefurther includes: external electrodes 500 (500 a, 500 b, 500 c and 500d) connected to some of internal electrodes of the common mode noisefilter 200 and some of internal electrodes of the ESD protection device300; and external electrodes 600 (600 a and 600 b) connected to some ofinternal electrodes of the ESD protection device 300. Meanwhile, each ofthe upper and lower cover layers 100 and 400 may be formed by laminatinga plurality of sheets. And a plurality of the sheets of the upper andlower layers 100 and 400, the common mode noise filter 200 and the ESDprotection device 300 are formed of nonmagnetic sheets.

The common mode noise filter 200 is configured by laminating sheets 210,220, 230 and 240 that are optionally formed with internal electrode, acoil pattern, a hole filled with a magnetic material, and a hole filledwith a conductive material.

A hole 210 a is formed at a predetermined region, preferably a centralregion, of the sheet 210. The hole 210 a is filled with a magneticpaste. The magnetic paste includes ferrite, Ni-based, Ni—Zn-based, andNi—Zn—Cu-based materials, and the like.

The sheet 220 is formed with an internal electrode 221, a coil pattern222, a hole 220 a and a hole 223. The hole 220 a is formed at a centralregion of the sheet 220 corresponding to the hole 210 a of the sheet 210and filled with a magnetic paste such as a ferrite, Ni-based,Ni—Zn-based, or Ni—Zn—Cu-based material. The hole 223 is spaced apartfrom the hole 220 a toward a side of the sheet 220 by a predetermineddistance and filled with a conductive paste. The internal electrode 221is formed by extending from the coil pattern 222 to be exposed at apredetermined region of one long side of the sheet 220. The coil pattern222 is formed in a spiral shape from the internal electrode 221 towardthe hole 223.

The sheet 230 is formed with an internal electrode 231, a coil pattern232 and a plurality of holes 230 a, 233 and 234. The hole 230 a isformed at a central region of the sheet 230 corresponding to the holes210 a and 220 a respectively formed on the sheets 210 and 220. The hole230 a is filled with a magnetic paste such as a ferrite, Ni-based,Ni—Zn-based or Ni—Zn—Cu-based material. The hole 233 is formed at apredetermined region of the sheet 230 corresponding to the hole 223 ofthe sheet 220, and filled with a conductive paste. The hole 234 isformed at a position opposite to the hole 233 with respect to the hole230 a, and filled with a conductive paste. The internal electrode 231 isformed by extending from the coil pattern 232 to be partially exposed ata predetermined region of one long side of the sheet 230 and is spacedapart from the internal electrode 221 formed on the sheet 220 by apredetermined distance. The coil pattern 232 is formed in a spiral shapefrom the internal electrode 231 toward the hole 234.

The sheet 240 is formed with a plurality of internal electrodes 241 and242, and a hole 240 a. The hole 240 a is formed at a central region ofthe sheet 230 corresponding to the holes 210 a, 220 a and 230 a that arerespectively formed on the sheets 210, 220 and 230. The hole 240 a isfilled with a magnetic paste such as a ferrite, Ni-based, Ni—Zn-based orNi—Zn—Cu-based material. The plurality of internal electrodes 241 and242 are formed to extend to the other long side of the sheet 240opposite to the one long side where the internal electrodes 221 and 231respectively formed on the sheets 220 and 230 are exposed. The internalelectrode 241 is formed in a shape of a straight line extending from apredetermined region of the sheet 240 corresponding to the holes 223 and233 to be exposed at the other long side of the sheet 240. The internalelectrode 242 is formed in a shape of a straight line extending from apredetermined region of the sheet 240 corresponding to the hole 234 tobe exposed at the other long side of the sheet 240.

Meanwhile, each of the sheets 210, 220, 230 and 240 is formed of anonmagnetic sheet. The internal electrodes 221, 231, 241 and 242 and thecoil patterns 222 and 232 are respectively formed of a conductive pasteby a screen printing method. In addition, a sputtering method, anevaporation method, a sol-gel coating method or the like may beemployed. Each of the holes 210 a, 220 a, 230 a and 240 a is filled witha magnetic paste, and each of the holes 223, 233 and 234 is filled witha conductive paste. Thus, the coil pattern 222 and the internalelectrode 241 are connected through the holes 223 and 233, and the coilpattern 232 and the internal electrode 242 are connected through thehole 234. Accordingly, a solenoid-type common mode noise filter, inwhich the coil of the conductive pattern surrounds the magnetic core ofthe magnetic paste filled in the holes 210 a, 220 a, 230 a and 240 a, isformed.

The ESD protection device 300 is configured by laminating a pluralitysheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350, each of which is optionally formedwith internal electrodes and holes.

A plurality of internal electrodes 311 and 312 are formed on a bottomsurface of the sheet 310. The plurality of internal electrodes 311 and312 are formed in a shape of a straight line extending from a centralportion of the bottom surface of the sheet 310 to be exposed at one longside of the sheet and are spaced apart from each other.

The sheet 320 is formed with a plurality of holes 323 and 324. Theplurality of holes 323 and 324 are respectively formed at positionscorresponding to the plurality of internal electrodes 311 and 312 thatare formed extending from the central portion of the sheet 310. That is,the plurality of holes 323 and 324 are formed at the central portion ofthe sheet 320 to be spaced apart from each other. Further, each of theplurality of holes 323 and 324 is filled with an ESD protectionmaterial.

Internal electrodes 331 and 332 are formed on top and bottom surfaces ofthe sheet 330, respectively. The internal electrodes 331 and 332 areformed at positions corresponding to each other on the top and bottomsurfaces of the sheet 330 to have a shape of a straight line to beexposed at central portions of one and the other short sides of thesheet 330 passing through positions corresponding the holes 323 and 324of the sheet 320 are formed.

The sheet 340 a is formed with a plurality of holes 343 and 344 whichare respectively formed at positions corresponding to the plurality ofholes 323 and 324 formed on the sheet 320. Further, each of theplurality of holes 343 and 344 is filled with an ESD protectionmaterial.

A plurality of internal electrodes 351 and 352 are formed on the sheet350. The plurality of internal electrodes 351 and 352 are formed toextend to the other long side of the sheet 350 opposite to the one longside of the sheet 310 where the internal electrodes 311 and 312 areexposed. The internal electrode 351 is formed in a shape of a straightline extending from a predetermined region of the sheet 350corresponding to the holes 323 and 343 to be exposed at the other longside of the sheet 350. In addition, the internal electrode 352 is formedin a shape of a straight line extending from a predetermined region ofthe sheet 350 corresponding to the holes 324 and 344 to be exposed atthe other long side of the sheet 350. The internal electrodes 351 and352 are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance.

Meanwhile, each of the internal electrodes 311, 312, 331, 332, 351 and352 is formed of a conductive paste by a screen printing method. Inaddition, a sputtering method, an evaporation method, a sol-gel coatingmethod or the like may be employed. Each of the holes 323, 324, 343 and344 is filled with an ESD protection material. Here, the ESD protectionmaterial may include a mixture in which an organic material such aspolyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is mixed with aconductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W andcombinations thereof. Further, the ESD protection material may beobtained by further mixing a varistor material such as ZnO or aninsulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃ with the mixture.

The ESD protection material described above exists in a state whereconductive and insulating materials are mixed at a predetermined ratio.That is, conductive particles are distributed in the insulatingmaterial. Thus, an insulating state is maintained if a voltage lowerthan a predetermined value is applied to the internal electrodes, whiledischarge is generated between the conductive particles to reduce avoltage difference between corresponding internal electrodes if avoltage higher than a predetermined value is applied to the internalelectrodes.

Meanwhile, the internal electrode 221 of the common mode noise filter200 and the internal electrode 351 of the ESD protection device 300 areconnected to the external electrode 500 a, and the internal electrode231 of the common mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrode 352of the ESD protection device 300 are connected to the external electrode500 b. The internal electrode 241 of the common mode noise filter 200and the internal electrode 311 of the ESD protection device 300 areconnected to the external electrode 500 c, and the internal electrode232 of the common mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrode 312of the ESD protection device 300 are connected to the external electrode500 d. In addition, one and the other sides of each of the internalelectrodes 331 and 332 are connected to the external electrodes 600 aand 600 b, respectively.

As described above, in the circuit protection device according to thefirst exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is acomposite device of the ESD protection device and the solenoid-typecommon mode noise filter that has the coil of the conductive patternsurrounding the magnetic core formed with the magnetic paste filled inthe holes vertically formed through the plurality of laminated sheets,the external electrodes 500 are connected between a system and 1-channelinput/output terminal used in an electronic device, and the externalelectrodes 600 are connected to ground terminals, so that it is possibleto remove common mode noises and flow static electricity introduced intothe input/output terminals into the ground terminals as shown in theequivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 3. That is, the laminated common modenoise filter having the coil surrounding the magnetic core is disposedbetween a power source and a system to effectively prevent common modenoises. Also, the ESD protection device is connected to the groundterminals between the input/output terminals and the system. Thereforeif an undesired voltage higher than a predetermined value is applied toboth ends of the circuit protection device, discharge is generatedbetween the conductive particles in the ESD protection material to flowa current into the ground terminals, so that a voltage differencebetween both ends of the corresponding circuit protection device isreduced. At this state, since both ends of the circuit protection deviceare not electrically conductive to each other, input signals aretransmitted to the input/output terminals without distortion. That is,even when static electricity is generated, it is discharged to theground terminals through the corresponding protection circuit device, sothat the circuit is protected and signals received and transmitted bythe system is maintained as they are.

In the circuit protection device configured as described above, sincethe width of the through holes of the ESD protection device filled withan ESD protection material is as narrow as several μm to severalhundreds of μm, capacitance of the ESD protection device can beadjusted, for example, to be 10 pF or less, preferably 1 pF or less.Thus, in the circuit protection device, capacitance at the input/outputterminals using a high frequency is not changed, and signal distortioncaused by the change of the capacitance is not generated.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the aforementioned circuitprotection device formed by laminating a common mode noise filter and anESD protection device according to the first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

S110: A plurality of rectangular sheets in which a nonmagnetic materialis mixed are prepared. For this, raw material is prepared by mixing amaterial having a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that offerrite, among B₂O₃—SiO₂-based glass, Al₂O₃—SiO₂-based glass and otherceramic materials, with a composition including Al₂O₃, glass frit andthe like, and ball milling the mixture with a solvent such as alcoholfor 24 hours. Then, slurry is prepared by measuring an organic binder asan additive of about 6 wt % with respect to the raw material; dissolvingthe organic binder in a toluene/alcohol-based solvent to be input intothe raw material; and milling and mixing the raw material into which theadditive is input using a small ball mill for about 24 hours.Thereafter, a sheet having a desired thickness is manufactured using theslurry by a doctor blade method or the like.

S120: A hole is formed in a predetermined region of a selected sheet.That is, a plurality of holes is formed in a predetermined region ofeach sheet 210, 220, 230 or 240 to be used for the common mode noisefilter 200. More specifically, the holes 210 a and 240 a arerespectively formed at the central portions of the sheets 210 and 240;the holes 220 a and 223 are respectively formed at a central portion ofthe sheet 220 and at a position spaced apart from the central portion toone side of the sheet 220; and the holes 230 a, 233 and 234 arerespectively formed at the central portion of sheet 230 and at positionsspaced apart from the central portion to one and the other sides of thesheet 230. The holes 323, 324, 343 and 344 are formed on the sheets 320and 340 of the ESD protection device 300. These holes are formed to havea size of several μm to several hundreds of μm using a laser punching ora mechanical punching methods or the like.

S130: The holes 210 a, 220 a, 230 a and 240 a respectively formed at thecentral portions of the sheets 210, 220, 230 and 240 to be used for thecommon mode noise filter 200 are filled with a magnetic paste, and theholes 223, 233 and 234 formed on the sheets 220 and 230 are filled witha conductive paste such as Pd, Ag/Pd or Ag. In addition, the holes 323,324, 343 and 344 formed on the sheets 330 and 340 to be used for the ESDprotection device are filled with an ESD protection material. The ESDprotection material may be formed of a material in which an organicmaterial such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) ismixed with one conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au,Ni, Cr, W and combinations thereof. Meanwhile, the ESD protectionmaterial may be obtained by further mixing a varistor material such asZnO or an insulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃ with the mixture.

S140: Desired internal electrodes and coil patterns are formed on theselected sheets to implement the common mode noise filter 200, andinternal electrodes are formed on the selected sheets to implement theESD protection device 300. That is, a conductive paste such as Pd, Ag/Pdor Ag is printed on the plurality of sheets having holes filled with theconductive paste or the ESD protection material, for example, by ascreen printing method, thereby forming the internal electrodes and thecoil patterns for implementing the common mode noise filter 200 and theinternal electrodes for implementing the ESD protection device 300.

S150: A rectangular hexahedral laminate is manufactured by laminating aplurality of sheets used for the upper cover layer 100, the sheets 210,220, 230, and 240 having the predetermined internal electrodes, coilpatterns and holes, the sheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350, and thesheets used for the lower cover layer 400; compressing the laminatedsheets at a pressure of 200 to 700 kgf/cm²; and then cutting thelaminate at a desired unit chip size. Dummy sheets may be furtherinserted between the upper cover layer 100 and the sheet 210, andbetween the sheet 350 and the lower cover layer 400.

S160: Continuously, the sheet laminate is burnt-out in a furnace at atemperature of 230 to 350° C. for 20 to 40 hours to remove bindercomponents, and then sintered at a temperature of 700 to 900° C. for 20to 40 hours. Here, since in the circuit protection device according tothe present invention, the sheets used for the common mode noise filterand the sheets used for the ESD protection device are the same, thesheets can be simultaneously sintered, and thus, a manufacturing processof the circuit protection device can be simplified.

S170: The external electrodes 500 and 600 are formed on the outersurface of the sheet laminate sintered in the furnace and then sinteredat a temperature of 600 to 800° C. for 30 minutes to 2 hours, andthereby the circuit protection device according to the first exemplaryembodiment of the present invention is completed. Here, the externalelectrodes 500 are connected to internal electrodes 221, 231, 241 and242 of the common mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrodes 311,312, 351 and 352 of the ESD protection device 300. Also, the externalelectrodes 600 are connected to the internal electrodes 331 and 332 ofthe ESD protection device 300.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a circuitprotection device according to a second exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of thecircuit protection device. As compared with the circuit protectiondevice according to the first exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention that is connected between a system and 1-channel input/outputterminals, the circuit protection device according to the secondexemplary embodiment of the present invention is connected between asystem and 2-channel input/output terminals, and is different in thattwo internal electrodes, two coil patterns, two holes filled with amagnetic paste and two holes filled with a conductive paste are formedon one sheet of a common mode noise filter 200, and eight externalelectrodes 500 are formed.

The common mode noise filter 200 is configured by laminating a pluralityof sheets 210, 220, 230 and 240, each of which is optionally formed withinternal electrodes, coil patterns, holes filled with a magneticmaterial, and holes filled with a conductive material.

Holes 210 a and 210 b are formed to be spaced apart from each other in apredetermined region, preferably a central region, of the sheet 210. Theholes 210 a and 210 b are filled with a magnetic paste. The magneticpaste includes ferrite, Ni-based, Ni—Zn-based, and Ni—Zn—Cu-basedmaterials, and the like.

The sheet 220 is formed with a plurality of internal electrodes 221 and226, a plurality of coil patterns 222 and 227, and a plurality of holes220 a, 220 b, 223 and 228. The holes 220 a and 220 b are formed in acentral region on the sheet 220 at positions corresponding to the holes210 a and 210 b formed on the sheet 210 and filled with a magneticpaste. The holes 223 and 228 are respectively spaced apart from theholes 220 a and 220 b by a predetermined distance and filled with aconductive paste. The internal electrodes 221 and 226 are respectivelyformed so that they extend from the coil patterns 222 and 227 to beexposed at predetermined regions of one long side of the sheet 220 andare spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. The coilpatterns 222 and 227 are respectively formed in a spiral shape from theinternal electrodes 221 and 226 to the holes 223 and 228, and the coilpatterns are spaced apart not to overlap with each other.

The sheet 230 are formed with a plurality of internal electrodes 231 and236, a plurality of coil patterns 232 and 237, and a plurality of holes230 a, 230 b, 233, 234, 238 and 239. The holes 230 a and 230 b areformed in a central region on the sheet 230 at positions correspondingto the holes 210 a and 210 b and the holes 220 a and 220 b respectivelyformed on the sheets 210 and 220, and filled with a magnetic paste. Theholes 233 and 234 are spaced apart from the hole 230 a by apredetermined distance, formed to be symmetric with respect to the hole230 a, and filled with a conductive paste. The holes 238 and 239 arespaced apart from the hole 230 b by a predetermined distance, formed tobe symmetric with respect to the hole 230 b, and filled with aconductive paste. It will be apparent that the holes 230 a, 230 b, 233,234, 238 and 239 are spaced apart from one another at a predetermineddistance. The internal electrodes 231 and 236 are formed so that theyrespectively extend from the coil patterns 232 and 237 to be exposed atpredetermined regions of one long side of the sheet 230 and are spacedapart from each other at a predetermined distance. The coil patterns 232and 237 are respectively formed in a spiral shape from the internalelectrodes 231 and 236 to the holes 234 and 239, and the coil patternsare spaced apart not to overlap with each other.

The sheet 240 is formed with a plurality of internal electrodes 241,242, 243 and 244, and a plurality of holes 240 a and 240 b. The holes240 a and 240 b are respectively formed in a central region of the sheet240 at positions corresponding to the holes 210 a and 210 b, the holes220 a and 220 b and the holes 230 a and 230 b respectively formed on thesheets 210, 220 and 230, and filled with a magnetic material such as aferrite, Ni-based, Ni—Zn-based, or Ni—Zn—Cu-based material. Theplurality of internal electrodes 241, 242, 243 and 244 are formedextending to the other long side of the sheet 240 opposite to the onelong side where the internal electrodes 221 and 226 and the internalelectrodes 231 and 236 respectively formed on the sheets 220 and 230 areexposed. The internal electrode 241 is formed in a shape of a straightline extending from a predetermined region of the sheet 240corresponding to the holes 223 and 233 to be exposed at the other longside of the sheet 240. The internal electrode 242 is also formedextending from a predetermined region of the sheet 240 corresponding tothe hole 234 to be exposed at the other long side of the sheet 240. Theinternal electrode 243 is formed in a shape of a straight line extendingfrom a predetermined region of the sheet 240 corresponding to the holes228 and 238 to be exposed at the other long side of the sheet 240. Theinternal electrode 244 is also formed extending from a predeterminedregion of the sheet 240 corresponding to the hole 239 to be exposed atthe other long side of the sheet 240.

Meanwhile, the plurality of internal electrodes 221, 226, 231, 236, 241,242, 243 and 244 and a plurality of coil patterns 222, 227, 232 and 237are respectively formed of a conductive paste by a sputtering method, ascreen printing method, an evaporation method, a sol-gel coating methodor the like. The holes 210 a, 210 b, 220 a, 22 b, 230 a, 230 b, 240 aand 240 b are respectively filled with a magnetic paste, and the holes223, 228, 233, 234, 238 and 239 are respectively filled with aconductive paste. Thus, the coil pattern 222 is connected to theinternal electrode 241 through the holes 223 and 233, and the coilpattern 232 is connected to the internal electrode 242 through the hole234. In addition, the coil pattern 227 is connected to the internalelectrode 243 through the holes 228 and 238, and the coil pattern 237 isconnected to the internal electrode 244 through the hole 239. Thus, adual solenoid-type common mode noise filter, in which two coilsrespectively surround the two magnetic cores, is formed.

The ESD protection device 300 is configured by laminating a pluralitysheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350, each of which is optionally formedwith internal electrodes and holes.

A plurality of internal electrodes 311, 312, 313 and 314 are formed on abottom surface of the sheet 310. The plurality of internal electrodes311, 312, 313 and 314 are formed in a shape of a straight line extendingfrom a central portion of the bottom surface of the sheet 310 to beexposed at one long side of the sheet 310 and are spaced apart from oneanother.

The sheet 320 a is formed with a plurality of holes 325, 326, 327 and328, which are respectively formed at positions corresponding to theplurality of internal electrodes 311, 312, 313 and 314 that are formedby extending from the central portion of the sheet 310. That is, theplurality of holes 325, 326, 327 and 328 are formed at the centralportion of the sheet 320 to be spaced apart from one another. Further,each of the plurality of holes 325, 326, 327 and 328 is filled with anESD protection material.

Internal electrodes 331 and 332 are formed on top and bottom surfaces ofthe sheet 330, respectively. The internal electrodes 331 and 332 areformed at positions corresponding to each other on the top and bottomsurfaces of the sheet 330 to have a shape of a straight line to beexposed at central portions of one short side and the other long side ofthe sheet 330 while passing through positions of the sheet 330respectively corresponding to the positions at which the holes 325, 326,327 and 328 of the sheet 320 are formed.

The sheet 340 is formed with a plurality of holes 345, 346, 347 and 348which are respectively formed at positions corresponding to theplurality holes 325, 326, 327 and 328 formed on the sheet 320. Further,each of the plurality of holes 345, 346, 347 and 348 is filled with anESD protection material.

A plurality of internal electrodes 351, 352, 353 and 354 are formed onthe sheet 350. The plurality of internal electrodes 351, 352, 353 and354 are formed to extend to the other long side of the sheet 350opposite to the one long side of the sheet 310 where the plurality ofinternal electrodes 311, 312, 313 and 314 are exposed.

Meanwhile, each of the plurality of holes 325, 326, 327, 328, 345, 346,347 and 348 is filled with an ESD protection material. Here, the ESDprotection material may include a mixture in which an organic materialsuch as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is mixed withone conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, Wand combinations thereof. Further, the ESD protection material may beobtained by further mixing a varistor material such as ZnO or aninsulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃ with the mixture.

The upper and lower cover layers 100 and 400, the plurality of sheets210, 220, 230 and 240 of the common mode noise filter 200, and theplurality of sheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350 of the ESD protectiondevice 300 are formed of a nonmagnetic sheet.

According to this exemplary embodiment, two composite devices areimplemented in a single chip. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto, but the number of composite devices may be three ormore.

As described above, in the circuit protection device according to thesecond exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is acomposite device of the ESD protection device and the common mode noisefilter that has the coil of the conductive pattern surrounding themagnetic core of the magnetic paste filled in the holes verticallyformed through the plurality of laminated sheets, the externalelectrodes 500 are connected between a system and 2-channel input/outputterminals used in an electronic device, and the external electrodes 600are connected to ground terminals, so that it is possible to removecommon mode noises and flow static electricity introduced into theinput/output terminals into the ground terminals as shown in theequivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 7. At this state, since both ends ofthe circuit protection device are not electrically conductive to eachother, input signals are transmitted to the input/output terminalswithout distortion. That is, even when static electricity is generated,it is discharged to the ground terminals through the correspondingprotection circuit device, so that the circuit is protected and signalsreceived and transmitted by the system is maintained as they are.

In the circuit protection device configured as described above, sincethe width of the through holes of the ESD protection device filled withan ESD protection material is as narrow as several μm to severalhundreds of μm, capacitance of the ESD protection device can beadjusted, for example, to 10 pF or less, preferably 1 pF or less. Thus,in the circuit protection device, capacitance at the input/outputterminals using a high frequency is not changed, and signal distortioncaused by the change of the capacitance is not generated.

In addition, common mode noises and ESD inputted through many channelscan be prevented using one circuit protection device although the numberof channels is increased, so that the number of circuit protectiondevices can be decreased, and thus, the size of electronic devices canbe reduced.

According to the first and second exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention, the circuit protection device is formed as a composite of anESD protection device and a common mode noise filter in which a coil iswound around a magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core is formed ofmagnetic paste filled in a hole which is vertically formed on aplurality of sheets laminated with each other, and the coil is formed ofconductive pattern. However, the circuit protection device is notlimited thereto, and can be changed or modified in various forms.Circuit protection devices according to another exemplary embodimentswill be described as follows.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit protection deviceaccording to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, andFIGS. 9 (a) to 9 (f) are plan views of respective sheets of a commonmode noise filter of the circuit protection device. According to thethird exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the circuitprotection device is formed as a composite of an ESD protection deviceand a common mode noise filter in which a screw-thread-shaped coil isformed around a magnetic core to an upper and lower portion, wherein themagnetic core is configured by laminating magnetic layers formed in aplurality of sheets. Further, a perspective view showing an assembledstate of the circuit protection device according to the third exemplaryembodiment of the present invention is identical to FIG. 1, and will bedescribed referring to FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, the circuit protection device according tothe first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed bylaminating a plurality of insulating sheets and includes an upper coverlayer 100, a common mode noise filter 200, an ESD protection device 300and a lower cover layer 400. The circuit protection device may furtherinclude external electrodes 500 (500 a, 500 b, 500 c and 500 d)connected to some of internal electrodes of the common mode noise filter200 and some of internal electrodes of the ESD protection device 300,and external electrodes 600 (600 a and 600 b) connected to some ofinternal electrodes of the ESD protection device 300. In addition, theplurality of sheets of the upper cover layer 100, the common mode noisefilter 200, the ESD protection device 300 and the lower cover layer 400may be formed of a nonmagnetic sheet. Meanwhile, a plurality of sheetsof the upper and lower cover layers 100 and 400 may be formed of amagnetic sheet.

The common mode noise filter 200 is configured by laminating sheets 210,220, 230, 240, 250 and 260, each of which is optionally formed withinternal electrodes of a conductive material, a magnetic layer of amagnetic material with which an opening is filled, and holes filled witha conductive material. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the details thereonwill be described as follows.

The sheet 210 is formed of a nonmagnetic sheet to function as a coversheet for covering a top of the sheet 220 and protecting the internalelectrodes and holes thereon.

The sheet 220 is formed of a nonmagnetic sheet, and has a plurality ofinternal electrodes 221 (221 a to 221 d) extending to the outside, aplurality of holes 222 (222 a to 222 k), and a plurality of internalelectrodes 223 (223 a to 223 d) selectively connecting the plurality ofholes. The plurality of holes 222 a to 222 k are formed in two lines ona central region of the sheet 220 to be spaced apart so that they faceeach other. For example, six holes 222 a to 222 f in a first line andfive holes 222 g to 222 k in a second line are formed to face eachother. More specifically, the holes 222 b to 222 f except the hole 222 ain the first line and the holes 222 g and 222 k in the second line areformed to face each other. The holes 222 a to 222 f in the first lineand the holes 222 g to 222 k in the second line may be formed at thesame intervals, or may be formed at irregular intervals not to be incontact with each other. Of course, although the plurality of holes 222a to 222 k are symmetrically formed to face each other, the presentinvention is not limited thereto. That is, the plurality of holes 222 ato 222 k may be formed in a zigzag pattern. The plurality of internalelectrodes 221 a to 221 d are formed so that the two internal electrodes221 a and 221 b are exposed at one long side of the sheet 220 and thetwo internal electrodes 221 c and 221 d are exposed at the other longside of the sheet 220. That is, the internal electrode 221 a is formedextending from the hole 222 b to be exposed at the one long side of thesheet 220, and the internal electrode 221 b is formed extending from thehole 222 a to be exposed at the one long side of the sheet 220 and isspaced apart from the internal electrode 221 a by a predetermineddistance. The internal electrode 221 c is formed extending from the hole222 f to be exposed at the other long side of the sheet 220 and facesthe internal electrode 221 a, and the internal electrode 221 d is formedextending from the hole 222 k to be exposed at the other side of thesheet 220 and faces the internal electrode 221 b. The plurality ofinternal electrodes 223 a to 223 d connect the holes 222 c to 222 f inthe first line and the holes 222 g to 222 j in the second line,respectively. That is, the internal electrode 223 a connects the holes222 c and 222 g, the internal electrode 223 b connects the holes 222 dand 222 h, the internal electrode 223 c connects the holes 222 e and 222i, and the internal electrode 223 d connects the holes 222 f and 222 j.Meanwhile, the plurality of internal electrodes 221 a to 221 d and theplurality of internal electrodes 223 a to 223 d are formed of aconductive paste, and the plurality of holes 222 a and 222 k are filledwith a conductive paste.

The sheet 230 is formed with a plurality of holes 232 (232 a to 232 k)and a magnetic layer 234. The plurality of holes 232 a to 232 k areformed corresponding to the plurality holes 222 a to 222 k formed on thesheet 220 and filled with a conductive paste. The magnetic layer 234 isformed between two lines of the plurality of holes 232 a to 232 k formedto face each other. The magnetic layer 234 may be formed by removing acorresponding portion of the sheet 230 and then filling the removedportion with a magnetic paste or a magnetic sheet. The magnetic pastemay include ferrite, Ni-base, Ni—Zn-base, and Ni—Zn—Cu-base materialsand the like, and the magnetic sheet includes a sheet formed of such amaterial.

A plurality of holes 242 (242 a to 242 k) and a magnetic layer 244 arealso formed on the sheet 240 in the same pattern as that of the sheet230. Also, a plurality of holes 252 (252 a to 252 k) and a magneticlayer 254 are formed on the sheet 250 in the same pattern as that of thesheet 230. Thus, descriptions thereof will be omitted herein. Althoughthe common mode noise filter is configured to have three sheetsrespectively formed with a magnetic layer in this embodiment, thepresent invention is not limited thereto. That is, the common mode noisefilter may be configured to have four or more of such sheets.

A plurality of internal electrodes 263 (263 a to 263 e) are formed onthe sheet 260 to be spaced apart from one another by a predetermineddistance and are obliquely formed in a left-and-lower direction toextend from positions corresponding to the plurality of holes in thefirst line on the respective sheets 220, 230, 240 and 250 to positionscorresponding to the plurality of holes in the second line thereon. Thatis, describing in connection with the holes 252 a to 252 k formed on thesheet 250, the internal electrode 263 a is formed to extend from aposition corresponding to the hole 252 a to a position corresponding tothe hole 252 g, the internal electrode 263 b is formed to extend from aposition corresponding to the hole 252 b to a position corresponding tothe hole 252 h, and the internal electrode 263 c is formed to extendfrom a position corresponding to the hole 252 c to a positioncorresponding to the hole 252 i. The internal electrode 263 d is formedto extend from a position corresponding to the hole 252 d to a positioncorresponding to the hole 252 j, and the internal electrode 263 e isformed to extend from a position corresponding to the hole 252 e to aposition corresponding to the hole 252 k. The plurality of internalelectrodes 261 a to 261 e are formed of a conductive paste.

Meanwhile, the plurality of internal electrodes 221 a to 221 d and 223 ato 223 d formed on the sheet 220 and the plurality of internalelectrodes 263 a to 263 e formed on the sheet 260 are respectivelyformed of a conductive paste by a screen printing method. In addition, asputtering method, an evaporation method, a sol-gel coating method orthe like may be employed. Each of the plurality of holes formed on thesheets 220, 230, 240 and 250 is filled with a conductive paste. Thus,the common mode noise filter is formed to have a screw-thread-shapedcoil wound around the magnetic layers 233, 243 and 253 formed in theshort side direction of the sheets.

The ESD protection device 300 is configured by laminating a pluralitysheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350, each of which is optionally formedwith internal electrodes and holes.

A plurality of internal electrodes 311 and 312 are formed on a bottomsurface of the sheet 310. The plurality of internal electrodes 311 and312 are formed in a shape of a straight line extending from a centralportion of the bottom surface of the sheet 310 to be exposed at one longside of the sheet and are spaced apart from each other.

The sheet 320 is formed with a plurality of holes 323 and 324, which arerespectively formed at positions corresponding to the plurality ofinternal electrodes 311 and 312 formed extending from the centralportion of the sheet 310. That is, the plurality of holes 323 and 324are formed at the central portion of the sheet 320 to be spaced apartfrom each other. Further, each of the plurality of holes 323 and 324 isfilled with an ESD protection material.

Internal electrodes 331 and 332 are formed on top and bottom surfaces ofthe sheet 330, respectively. The internal electrodes 331 and 332 areformed at positions corresponding to each other on the top and bottomsurfaces of the sheet 330 to have a shape of a straight line to beexposed at central portions of one and the other short sides of thesheet 330 while passing through positions of the sheet 330 respectivelycorresponding to the positions at which the holes 323 and 324 of thesheet 320 are formed.

The sheet 340 a is formed with a plurality of holes 343 and 344, whichare respectively formed at positions corresponding to the plurality ofholes 323 and 324 formed on the sheet 320. Further, each of theplurality of holes 343 and 344 is filled with an ESD protectionmaterial.

A plurality of internal electrodes 351 and 352 are formed on the sheet350. The plurality of internal electrodes 351 and 352 are formed toextend to the other long side of the sheet 350 opposite to the one longside of the sheet 310 where the internal electrodes 311 and 312 areexposed. The internal electrode 351 is formed in a shape of a straightline extending from a predetermined region of the sheet 350corresponding to the holes 323 and 343 to be exposed at the other longside of the sheet 350. In addition, the internal electrode 352 is formedin a shape of a straight line extending from a predetermined region ofthe sheet 350 corresponding to the holes 324 and 344 to be exposed atthe other long side of the sheet 350. The internal electrodes 351 and352 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

Meanwhile, each of the internal electrodes 311, 312, 331, 332, 351 and352 is formed of a conductive paste by a screen printing method. Inaddition, a sputtering method, an evaporation method, a sol-gel coatingmethod or the like may be employed. Each of the holes 323, 324, 343 and344 is filled with an ESD protection material. Here, the ESD protectionmaterial may include a mixture in which an organic material such aspolyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is mixed with oneconductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W andcombinations thereof. Further, the ESD protection material may beobtained by further mixing a varistor material such as ZnO or aninsulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃ with the mixture.

The ESD protection material described above exists in a state whereconductive and insulating materials are mixed at a predetermined ratio.That is, conductive particles are distributed in the insulatingmaterial. Thus, an insulating state is maintained if a voltage lowerthan a predetermined value is applied to the internal electrode, whiledischarge is generated between the conductive particles to therebyreduce a voltage difference between corresponding internal electrodes ifa voltage higher than a predetermined value is applied to the internalelectrodes.

Meanwhile, the internal electrode 221 a of the common mode noise filter200 and the internal electrode 351 of the ESD protection device 300 areconnected to the external electrode 500 a, and the internal electrode221 b of the common mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrode 352of the ESD protection device 300 are connected to the external electrode500 b. The internal electrode 221 c of the common mode noise filter 200and the internal electrode 311 of the ESD protection device 300 areconnected to the external electrode 500 c, and the internal electrode221 d of the common mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrode 312of the ESD protection device 300 are connected to the external electrode500 d. In addition, one and the other sides of each of the internalelectrodes 331 and 332 are connected to the external electrodes 600 aand 600 b, respectively.

As described above, in the circuit protection device according to thethird exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is acomposite device of the ESD protection device and the common mode noisefilter that has the screw-thread-shaped coil surrounding the magneticcore formed by laminating the magnetic layers formed in a plurality ofsheets, the external electrodes 500 are connected between a system and1-channel input/output terminal used in an electronic device, and theexternal electrodes 600 are connected to ground terminals, so that it ispossible to remove common mode noises and flow static electricityintroduced into the input/output terminals into the ground terminals, asshown in the equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 3. That is, the commonmode noise filter having the coil surrounding the magnetic core isdisposed between input/output terminals and a system to prevent commonmode noises. Also, the ESD protection device is connected to the groundterminals between the input/output terminals and the system, so that ifan undesired voltage higher than a predetermined value is applied toboth ends of the circuit protection device, discharge is generatedbetween the conductive particles in the ESD protection material to flowa current into the ground terminals, so that a voltage differencebetween both ends of the corresponding circuit protection device isreduced. At this time, since both ends of the circuit protection deviceare not electrically conductive to each other, input signals aretransmitted to the input/output terminals as they are withoutdistortion. That is, even when static electricity is generated, it isdischarged to the ground terminals through the corresponding protectioncircuit device, so that the circuit is protected and signals receivedand transmitted by the system is maintained as they are.

In the circuit protection device configured as described above, sincethe width of the through holes of the ESD protection device filled withan ESD protection material is as narrow as several μm to severalhundreds of μm, capacitance of the ESD protection device can beadjusted, for example, to 10 pF or less, preferably 1 pF or less. Thus,in the circuit protection device, capacitance at the input/outputterminals using a high frequency is not changed, and signal distortioncaused by the change of the capacitance is not generated.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the aforementioned circuitprotection device formed by laminating a common mode noise filter and anESD protection device according to the third exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention will be described with reference to the processflowchart of FIG. 10.

S110: A plurality of rectangular sheets in which a nonmagnetic materialis mixed are prepared. For this, raw material is prepared by mixing amaterial having a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that offerrite, among B₂O₃—SiO₂-based glass, Al₂O₃—SiO₂-based glass and otherceramic materials, with a composition including Al₂O₃, glass frit andthe like; and ball milling the mixture with a solvent such as alcoholfor 24 hours. Then, slurry is prepared by measuring an organic binder asan additive of about 6 wt % with respect to the raw material; dissolvingthe organic binder in a toluene/alcohol-based solvent to be input intothe raw material; and milling and mixing the raw material into which theadditive is input using a small ball mill for about 24 hours.Thereafter, a sheet having a desired thickness is manufactured using theslurry by a doctor blade method or the like.

S120: A plurality of holes are formed in a predetermined region of aselected sheet and an opening having a predetermined width and length isformed thereon. That is, the plurality of symmetric holes are formed intwo lines on each sheet 220, 230, 240 or 250 which is used for thecommon mode noise filter 200, and the opening is formed between theplurality of holes symmetrically formed on each sheet 230, 240 or 250.The holes 323, 324, 343 and 344 are formed on the sheets 320 and 340 ofthe ESD protection device 300. The plurality of holes and openings areformed to have a size of several μm to several hundreds of μm using alaser punching or a mechanical punching method or the like. Of course,the opening is formed to larger than the hole.

S130: The opening formed in a central portion of each sheet 220, 230 or240 for the common mode noise filter 200 is filled with a magnetic pasteor a magnetic sheet, whereby the magnetic layers 234, 244 and 254 areformed. Here, the magnetic sheet is manufactured by mixing a magneticmaterial such as a ferrite, Ni-base, Ni—Zn-based, or Ni—Zn—Cu-basedmaterial instead of a nonmagnetic material of step S110 of preparing rawmaterial powder and then by performing subsequent processes. Themagnetic sheet is cut at a size corresponding to the opening, and fillsthe openings.

S140: The plurality of holes formed on the plurality of sheets 220, 230,240 and 250 to be used for the common mode noise filter 200 are filledwith a conductive paste such as Pd, Ag/Pd or Ag. In addition, the holes323, 324, 343 and 344 formed on the sheets 330 and 340 to be used forthe ESD protection device are filled with an ESD protection material.The ESD protection material may be formed of a material in which anorganic material such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral(PVB) is mixed with one conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd,Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W and combinations thereof. Meanwhile, the ESDprotection material may be obtained by further mixing a varistormaterial such as ZnO or an insulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃with the mixture.

S150: Internal electrodes are formed on the sheets selected to implementthe common mode noise filter 200 and the ESD protection device 300. Thatis, a conductive paste such as Pd, Ag/Pd or Ag is printed on the sheets220 and 260 and the sheets 310, 330 and 350, for example, by a screenprinting method, thereby forming the internal electrodes forimplementing the common mode noise filter 200 and the ESD protectiondevice 300.

S160: A rectangular hexahedral laminate is manufactured by laminatingthe upper cover layer 100, the sheets 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 and 260,the sheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350, and the lower cover layer 200,compressing the laminated sheets at a pressure of 200 to 700 kgf/cm²,and then cutting the laminate at a desired unit chip size. Dummy sheetsmay be further inserted between the upper cover layer 100 and the sheet210 and between the sheet 350 and the lower cover layer 400. Inaddition, each of the upper and lower cover layers 100 and 400 may beformed by laminating a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets.

S170: Continuously, the sheet laminate is burnt-out in a furnace at atemperature of 230 to 350° C. for 20 to 40 hours to remove bindercomponents and then sintered at a temperature of 700 to 900° C. for 20to 40 hours. Here, since in the circuit protection device according tothe present invention, the sheets for the upper cover layer, the commonmode noise filter, the ESD protection device and the lower cover layerare the same, the sheets can be simultaneously sintered, and thus, amanufacturing process of the circuit protection device can besimplified.

S180: The external electrodes 500 and 600 are formed on the outersurface of the sheet laminate sintered in the furnace, and thensintering is performed at a temperature of 600 to 800° C. for 30 minutesto 2 hours, thereby the circuit protection device according to the firstexemplary embodiment of the present invention is completed. Here, theexternal electrodes 500 are connected to internal electrodes 221 a, 221b, 221 c and 221 d of the common mode noise filter 200 and the internalelectrodes 311, 312, 351 and 352 of the ESD protection device 300. Also,the external electrodes 600 are connected to the internal electrodes 331and 332 of the ESD protection device 300.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a circuit protection deviceaccording to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Aperspective view showing an assembled state of the circuit protectiondevice according to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention is identical to FIG. 5. In the circuit protection deviceaccording to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, acommon mode noise filter 200 is formed to have two screw-thread-shapedcoils respectively wound around two magnetic cores. A sheet 220 isformed with holes 222 and 226 in four lines, so that internal electrodes223 and 227, and internal electrodes 221 and 225 are formed. Theinternal electrodes 223 and 227 connect the holes in two lines in aright-and-lower direction, and the internal electrodes 221 and 225extend to the outside. Each of sheets 230, 240 and 250 is formed withholes 232 and 236, 242 and 246, or 252 and 256 arranged in four lines,and two magnetic layers 234 and 238, 244 and 248, or 254 and 258, eachof which is formed between the holes in the two lines. A sheet 260 isformed with a plurality of internal electrodes 263 and 269 arranged inthe two lines. Eight external electrodes 500 (500 a to 500 h) and twoexternal electrodes 600 (600 a and 600 b) are formed. Further, in an ESDprotection device 300, four internal electrodes are formed on each ofbottom and top surfaces of sheets 310 and 350, four holes are formed oneach of the sheets 320 and 340, and internal electrodes are formed ontop and bottom surfaces of a sheet 330, respectively.

As described above, in the circuit protection device according to thesecond exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is acomposite device of the common mode noise filter and the ESD protectiondevice, the external electrodes 500 of the circuit protection device areconnected to a system and two-channel input/output terminals, which areused in an electronic device, and the external electrodes 600 areconnected to ground terminals, as shown in FIG. 7, so that it ispossible to remove common mode noises and allow static electricityintroduced into the input/output terminals to flow into the groundterminals. In addition, common mode noises and ESD inputted through manychannels can be prevented using one circuit protection device althoughthe number of channels is increased, so that the number of circuitprotection devices can be decreased, and thus, the size of electronicdevices can be reduced.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a circuit protection deviceaccording to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thecircuit protection device according to the fifth exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention is different from the circuit protection deviceaccording to the third exemplary embodiment of the present inventionshown in FIG. 8 in that magnetic layers 220 a to 220 d, 230 a to 230 d,240 a to 240 d, 250 a to 250 d, or 260 a to 260 d are formed on foursides of each of the sheets 220 to 260, except a cover sheet 210, of acommon mode noise filter 200 not to be connected to one another. Ifmagnetic layers are formed on the four sides of each of the sheets 220to 260 of the common mode noise filter 200 as described above, magneticflux can be prevented from leaking.

Meanwhile, it will be apparent that the magnetic layers formed on thefour sides of each of the sheets 220 to 260 of the common mode noisefilter 200 may be applied to the sheets of the common mode noise filtersof the circuit protection devices according to the second exemplaryembodiment of the present invention as well as the first embodiment.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are an exploded perspective view of a circuit protectiondevice and an exploded perspective view of a coil unit according to asixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, respectively. Aperspective view showing an assembled state of the circuit protectiondevice according to the sixth exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention is the same as that of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 13, the circuit protection device according tothe sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed bylaminating a plurality of insulating sheets including an upper coverlayer 100, a common mode noise filter 200, an ESD protection device 300and a lower cover layer 400. The circuit protection device may furtherinclude external electrodes 500 (500 a, 500 b, 500 c and 500 d)connected to some of internal electrodes of the common mode noise filter200 and some of internal electrodes of the ESD protection device 300,and external electrodes 600 (600 a and 600 b) connected to some ofinternal electrodes of the ESD protection device 300. In addition, theplurality of sheets of the upper cover layer 100, the common mode noisefilter 200, the ESD protection device 300 and the lower cover layer 400may be formed of a nonmagnetic sheet. Meanwhile, the plurality of sheetsof the upper and lower cover layers 100 and 400 may be formed of amagnetic sheet.

The common mode noise filter 200 comprises a cover sheet 210, a coilunit 700 having a structure, for example, in a shape of a rectangularhexahedron, in which a coil is wound around a magnetic core that isformed by laminating a plurality of sheets, and a coil insertion unit800 formed by laminating a plurality of sheets to have a space forreceiving the coil unit.

The cover sheet 210 is formed of a nonmagnetic sheet and serves toprotect the coil insertion unit 800 into which the coil unit 700 isinserted.

The coil unit 700 is formed by laminating a plurality of sheets 710 to790, and has a structure, for example, in a shape of a rectangularhexahedron, in which openings formed at the centers of the respectivesheets 710 to 790 are filled with a magnetic material to thereby formmagnetic layers and internal electrodes of a conductive material isconnected through holes to form a coil surrounding the magnetic layers.Here, the sides of each of the magnetic layers and the sheets will bereferred to as first, second, third and fourth sides counterclockwisefrom a base side for convenience of illustration.

The sheet 710 is formed with a magnetic layer 711, a hole 712 which isfilled with a conductive paste, an internal electrode 714. Preferably,the magnetic layer 711 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 710in such manner that a square opening with a predetermined size is boredvertically through the central portion of the sheet 710 and filled witha magnetic paste or a magnetic sheet. The magnetic paste may includeferrite, Ni-based, Ni-Zn-based, and Ni—Zn—Cu-based materials and thelike, and the magnetic sheet includes a sheet manufactured using such amaterial. The hole 712 is spaced apart from the magnetic layer 711 by apredetermined distance. For example, the hole 712 is spaced apart fromthe center of the first side of the magnetic layer 711 by apredetermined distance and filled with a conductive paste. The internalelectrode 714 is formed to surround the first, second and third sides ofthe magnetic layer 711 starting from the hole 712 while maintaining aconstant gap from the magnetic layer 711. The internal electrode isformed extending in parallel with the third side of the magnetic layer711 to be exposed at the fourth side of the sheet 710.

The sheet 720 is formed with a magnetic layer 721, holes 722 and 723which are filled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 724.The magnetic layer 721 is formed in a portion corresponding to themagnetic layer 711 formed in the sheet 710, i.e., in a central portionof the sheet 720. The hole 722 is formed at a position corresponding tothe hole 712 formed on the sheet 710, i.e., at a position spaced apartfrom the center of the first side of the magnetic layer 721 by apredetermined distance, and the hole 723 is spaced apart from the hole722 by a predetermined distance. For example, the hole 723 is spacedapart from the vertex made by the first and second sides of the magneticlayer 721 by a predetermined distance. The holes 722 and 723 are filledwith a conductive paste. Starting from the hole 723, the internalelectrode 724 is formed surrounding the second, third and fourth sidesof the magnetic layer 721 while maintaining a constant gap from themagnetic layer 721. The internal electrode 724 corresponds to the vertexmade by the third and fourth sides of the magnetic layer 721 and isformed to be exposed at the fourth side of the sheet 720.

The sheet 730 is formed with a magnetic layer 731, holes 732 and 733which are filled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 734.The magnetic layer 731 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 730.The hole 732 is formed at a position corresponding to the hole 723formed on the sheet 720, i.e., at a position spaced apart from thevertex made by the first and second sides of the magnetic layer 731 by apredetermined distance, and the hole 733 is space apart from the hole732 by a predetermined distance. The hole 733 is spaced apart from thecenter of the second side of the magnetic layer 731 by a predetermineddistance. The holes 732 and 733 are filled with a conductive paste.Starting from the hole 733, the internal electrode 734 is formed tosurrounding the second side, third, fourth, and first sides of themagnetic layer 731 while maintaining a constant gap from the magneticlayer 731. The internal electrode 734 is formed up to a portioncorresponding to the center of the first side of the magnetic layer 731.That is, the internal electrode 734 is formed up to a portioncorresponding to the hole 722 of the sheet 720.

The sheet 740 is formed with a magnetic layer 741, holes 742 and 743which are filled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 744.The magnetic layer 741 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 740.The hole 742 is spaced apart from a position corresponding to the hole733 formed on the sheet 730, i.e., from the center of a second side ofthe magnetic layer 741 by a predetermined distance, and the hole 743 isspaced apart from the hole 742 by a predetermined distance. The hole 743is spaced apart from the vertex made by the second and third sides ofthe magnetic layer 741 by a predetermined distance. The holes 742 and743 are filled with a conductive paste. Starting from the hole 743, theinternal electrode 744 is formed surrounding the third, fourth and firstsides of the magnetic layer 741 while maintaining a constant gap fromthe magnetic layer 741. The internal electrode 744 is formed up to aportion corresponding to the vertex made by the first and second sidesof the magnetic layer 741. That is, the internal electrode 744 is formedup to a portion corresponding to the hole 732 of the sheet 730.

The sheet 750 is formed with a magnetic layer 751, holes 752 and 753which are filled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 754.The magnetic layer 751 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 750.The hole 752 is formed at a position corresponding to the hole 743formed on the sheet 740, i.e., at a position spaced apart from thevertex made by the second and third sides of the magnetic layer 751 by apredetermined distance, and the hole 753 is spaced apart from the hole752 by a predetermined distance. The holes 752 and 753 are filled with aconductive paste. Starting from the hole 753, the internal electrode 754is surrounding the third, fourth, first and second sides of the magneticlayer 751 while maintaining a constant gap from the magnetic layer 751.That is, the internal electrode 754 is formed from the hole 753 up to aportion of the second side of the sheet 750 corresponding to the hole742 of the sheet 740.

The sheet 760 is formed with a magnetic layer 761, holes 762 and 763which are filled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 764.The magnetic layer 761 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 760.The hole 762 is formed at a position corresponding to the hole 753formed on the sheet 750, i.e., at a position spaced apart from thecenter of the third side of the magnetic layer 761 by a predetermineddistance, and the hole 763 is spaced apart from the hole 762 by apredetermined distance. The hole 763 is spaced apart from the vertexmade by the third and fourth sides of the magnetic layer 761 by apredetermined distance. The holes 762 and 763 are filled with aconductive paste. Starting from the hole 763, the internal electrode 764is formed surrounding the fourth, first and second sides of the magneticlayer 761 while maintaining a constant gap from the magnetic layer 761.That is, the internal electrode 764 is formed from the hole 763 up to aposition of the vertex made by the second and third sides of the sheet760 corresponding to the hole 752 of the sheet 750.

The sheet 770 is formed with a magnetic layer 771, holes 772 and 773which are filled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 774.The magnetic layer 771 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 770.The hole 772 is formed at a position corresponding to the hole 763formed on the sheet 760, i.e., at a position spaced apart from thevertex made by the third and fourth sides of the magnetic layer 771 by apredetermined distance, and the hole 773 is spaced apart from the hole772 by a predetermined distance. The hole 773 is spaced apart from thecenter of the fourth side of the magnetic layer 771 by a predetermineddistance. The holes 772 and 773 are filled with a conductive paste.Starting from the hole 773, the internal electrode 774 is formedsurrounding the fourth, first, second and third sides of the magneticlayer 771 while maintaining a constant gap from the magnetic layer 771.That is, the internal electrode 774 is formed from the hole 773 up to aposition of the center of the third side of the magnetic layer 771corresponding to the hole 762 of the sheet 760.

The sheet 780 is formed with a magnetic layer 781, a hole 782 which isfilled with a conductive paste, and an internal electrode 784. Themagnetic layer 781 is formed in a central portion of the sheet 780. Thehoe 782 is formed at a position corresponding to the hole 773 formed onthe sheet 770, i.e., at a position spaced apart from the center of thefourth side of the magnetic layer 781 by a predetermined distance. Thehole 782 is filled with a conductive paste. The internal electrode 784is formed surrounding the third, second and first sides of the magneticlayer 781 while being spaced apart from a position corresponding to thehole 772 of the sheet 770, i.e., a position of the vertex made by thethird and fourth sides of the magnetic layer 781 by a predetermineddistance. The internal electrode 784 extends in parallel with the firstside of the magnetic layer 781 to be exposed at the fourth side of thesheet 780.

A magnetic layer 791 is formed at a central portion of the sheet 790. An7internal electrode 794 is formed along the magnetic layer 791 from aposition corresponding to the hole 782 of the sheet 780, i.e., from aposition of the center of the fourth side of the magnetic layer 791 tothe vertex made by the third and fourth sides of the magnetic layer 791,and formed to be exposed at the fourth side of the sheet 490.

Meanwhile, the plurality of internal electrodes 714 to 794 respectivelyformed on the sheets 710 to 790 are respectively formed of a conductivepaste by a screen printing method. In addition, a sputtering method, anevaporation method, a sol-gel coating method or the like may beemployed. The sheets 710 to 790 are laminated, so that the magneticlayers 711 to 791 formed in the same position become a magnetic core,and a coil pattern is formed so that the internal electrodes connectedto each other through the holes are wound around the magnetic core. Thatis, the internal electrode 714 exposed to the outside is connected tothe internal electrode 734 through the holes 712 and 722, the internalelectrode 734 is connected to the internal electrode 754 of the sheet750 through the holes 733 and 742, the internal electrode 754 isconnected to the internal electrode 774 through the holes 753 and 762,and the internal electrode 774 is connected to the internal electrode794 exposed to the outside through the holes 773 and 782. The internalelectrode 724 exposed to the outside is connected to the internalelectrode 744 through the holes 723 and 732, the internal electrode 744is connected to the internal electrode 764 through the holes 743 and752, and the internal electrode 764 is connected to the internalelectrode 784 exposed to the outside through the holes 763 and 772.

The coil insertion unit 800 is formed by laminating the plurality ofsheets which is provided with a space, into which the coil unit isinserted, in a central portion thereof. That is, the coil insertion unit800 is formed by laminating the plurality of sheets, each of which hasan opening with the size of the coil unit 700 in a central portionthereof. Preferably, the coil insertion unit 800 is formed at the samethickness as the width of the coil unit 700. A plurality of internalelectrodes 811 to 814 are formed on the uppermost sheet of the coilinsertion unit 800. The internal electrode 811 is connected to theinternal electrode 714 of the coil unit 700, the internal electrode 812is connected to the internal electrode 724 of the coil unit 700, and theinternal electrode 813 is connected to the internal electrode 794 of thecoil unit 700. Further, the internal electrode 814 is connected to theinternal electrode 784 of the coil unit 700. Thus, the coil unit 700 isinserted into an insertion space 820 of the coil insertion unit 800 suchthat the fourth side of the sheets of the coil unit 700 at which theinternal electrodes 714, 724, 784 and 794 are exposed faces upward.Meanwhile, no coil insertion space may be formed in the lowermost sheetamong the plurality of sheets of the coil insertion unit 800.

The ESD protection device 200 is configured by laminating a pluralitysheets 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350, each of which is optionally formedwith internal electrodes and holes.

A plurality of internal electrodes 311 and 312 are formed on a bottomsurface of the sheet 310. The plurality of internal electrodes 311 and312 are formed in a shape of a straight line extending from a centralportion of the bottom surface of the sheet 310 to be exposed at one longside of the sheet and are spaced apart from each other.

The sheet 320 is formed with a plurality of holes 323 and 324, which arerespectively formed at positions corresponding to the plurality ofinternal electrodes 311 and 312 formed extending from the centralportion of the sheet 310. That is, the plurality of holes 323 and 324are formed at the central portion of the sheet 320 to be spaced apartfrom each other. Further, each of the plurality of holes 323 and 324 isfilled with an ESD protection material.

Internal electrodes 331 and 332 are formed on top and bottom surfaces ofthe sheet 330, respectively. The internal electrodes 331 and 332 areformed at positions corresponding to each other on the top and bottomsurfaces of the sheet 330 to have a shape of a straight line to beexposed at central portions of one and the other short sides of thesheet 330 while passing through positions of the sheet 330 respectivelycorresponding to the positions at which the holes 323 and 324 of thesheet 320 are formed.

The sheet 340 a is formed with a plurality of holes 343 and 344, whichare respectively formed at positions corresponding to the plurality ofholes 323 and 324 formed on the sheet 320. Further, each of theplurality of holes 343 and 344 is filled with an ESD protectionmaterial.

A plurality of internal electrodes 351 and 352 are formed on the sheet350. The plurality of internal electrodes 351 and 352 are formed toextend to the other long side of the sheet 350 opposite to the one longside of the sheet 310 where the internal electrodes 311 and 312 areexposed. The internal electrode 351 is formed in a shape of a straightline extending from a predetermined region of the sheet 350corresponding to the holes 323 and 343 to be exposed at the other longside of the sheet 350. In addition, the internal electrode 352 is formedin a shape of a straight line extending from a predetermined region ofthe sheet 350 corresponding to the holes 324 and 344 to be exposed atthe other long side of the sheet 350. The internal electrodes 351 and352 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

Meanwhile, each of the internal electrodes 311, 312, 331, 332, 351 and352 is formed of a conductive paste by a screen printing method. Inaddition, a sputtering method, an evaporation method, a sol-gel coatingmethod or the like may be employed. Each of the holes 323, 324, 343 and344 is filled with an ESD protection material. Here, the ESD protectionmaterial may include a mixture in which an organic material such aspolyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is mixed with oneconductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W andcombinations thereof. Further, the ESD protection material may beobtained by further mixing a varistor material such as ZnO or aninsulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃ with the mixture.

The ESD protection material described above exists in a state whereconductive and insulating materials are mixed at a predetermined ratio.That is, conductive particles are distributed in the insulatingmaterial. Thus, an insulating state is maintained if a voltage lowerthan a predetermined value is applied to the internal electrodes, whiledischarge is generated between the conductive particles to therebyreduce a voltage difference between corresponding internal electrodes ifa voltage higher than a predetermined value is applied to the internalelectrodes.

Meanwhile, the internal electrode 813 of the coil insertion unit 800 ofthe common mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrode 351 of theESD protection device 300 are connected to the external electrode 500 a,and the internal electrode 814 of the coil insertion unit 800 of thecommon mode noise filter 200 and the internal electrode 352 of the ESDprotection device 300 are connected to the external electrode 500 b. Theinternal electrode 811 of the coil insertion unit 800 of the common modenoise filter 200 and the internal electrode 311 of the ESD protectiondevice 300 are connected to the external electrode 500 c, and theinternal electrode 812 of the coil insertion unit 800 of the common modenoise filter 200 and the internal electrode 312 of the ESD protectiondevice 300 are connected to the external electrode 500 d. In addition,one and the other sides of each of the internal electrodes 331 and 332are connected to the external electrodes 600 a and 600 b, respectively.

As described above, according to the sixth exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, the circuit protection device is formed as a singlechip by laminating the ESD protection device and the common mode noisefilter in which the coil unit is manufactured by winding the internalelectrodes around magnetic layers, through the holes, and the coil unitis inserted into the coil unit insertion space of the coil insertionunit. In the circuit protection device, the external electrodes 500 areconnected between a system and 1-channel input/output terminals used inan electronic device, and the external electrodes 600 are connected toground terminals, as shown in the equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 4,so that it is possible to remove common mode noises and flow staticelectricity introduced to the input/output terminals into the groundterminals. That is, the common mode noise filter having the coilsurrounding the magnetic core functions as an inductor to effectivelyprevent common mode noises. Also, if an undesired voltage higher than apredetermined value is applied to both ends of the circuit protectiondevice, discharge is generated between the conductive particles in theESD protection material and a current flows into the ground terminals,thereby a voltage difference between both ends of the correspondingcircuit protection device can be reduced. At this state, since both endsof the circuit protection device are not electrically conductive to eachother, input signals are transmitted to the input/output terminals asthey are without distortion. That is, even when static electricity isgenerated, the corresponding static electricity is discharged to theground terminals through the corresponding protection circuit device, sothat the circuit is protected and signals received and transmitted bythe system are maintained as they are.

In the circuit protection device configured as described above, sincethe width of the through holes of the ESD protection device filled withan ESD protection material is as narrow as several μm to severalhundreds of μm, capacitance of the ESD protection device may beadjusted, for example, to 10 pF or less, preferably 1 pF or less. Thus,in the circuit protection device, capacitance at the input/outputterminals using a high frequency is not changed, and signal distortioncaused by the change of the capacitance is not generated.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the aforementioned circuitprotection device formed by laminating a common mode noise filter and anESD protection device according to the sixth exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention will be described with reference to the processflowchart of FIG. 15.

A plurality of rectangular sheets in which a nonmagnetic material ismixed are prepared (S210). The nonmagnetic sheets may be prepared by thesame method as the step S110 described with reference to FIG. 10. Inaddition, the coil unit and the coil insertion unit of the common modenoise filter and the ESD protection device are respectively formed.Processes of manufacturing them will be described in detail below.

A plurality of holes and openings are respectively formed on a pluralityof selected sheets (S221, S222 and S223). That is, a plurality of holesand openings are formed on a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected toform the coil unit, and a plurality of openings having the size of thecoil unit are formed on a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected toform the coil insertion unit. In addition, a plurality of holes areformed on a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to form the ESDprotection device. More specifically, the opening is formed at the sameposition on each of the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to formthe coil unit, and a plurality of holes are optionally formed to bespaced apart from the opening by a predetermined distance. A pluralityof holes and an opening may be spaced apart from each other on onenonmagnetic sheet, and the holes and opening may be simultaneouslyformed. A coil insertion space having the size of the coil unit whichwill be formed is formed in each predetermined region of the pluralityof nonmagnetic sheets selected to form the coil insertion unit. At thistime, the plurality of coil insertion spaces may be formed on onenonmagnetic sheet. A plurality of holes are optionally formed on theplurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to form the ESD protectiondevice. At this time, the plurality of holes formed on one nonmagneticsheet may be spaced apart from one another. Meanwhile, the plurality ofholes and openings may be formed by a laser or mechanical punchingmethod.

The magnetic layers are formed by filling the openings respectivelyformed on the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to form the coilunit with a magnetic paste or with magnetic sheets cut to have the sizeof the opening (S231). Here, the magnetic paste may include ferrite,Ni-based, Ni—Zn-based, and Ni—Zn—Cu-based materials and the like. Themagnetic sheet may be provided by mixing a magnetic material such as aferrite, Ni-based, Ni—Zn-based, or Ni—Zn—Cu-based material or the likein place of a nonmagnetic material which is used while manufacturing thenonmagnetic sheets.

The plurality of holes respectively formed on the plurality ofnonmagnetic sheets selected to form the coil unit are filled with aconductive paste (S241), and the plurality of holes respectively formedon the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to forming the ESDprotection device are filled with an ESD protection material (S243).Here, the conductive paste may include Pd, Ag/Pd, Ag and the like, andthe ESD protection material may be formed of a material in which anorganic material such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl butyral(PVB) is mixed with one conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd,Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W and combinations thereof. Meanwhile, the ESDprotection material may be obtained by further mixing a varistormaterial such as ZnO or an insulating ceramic material such as Al₂O₃with the mixture.

The internal electrodes are respectively formed on the plurality ofnonmagnetic sheets selected to form the coil unit (S251), and theinternal electrodes are respectively formed on the plurality ofnonmagnetic sheets selected to form the ESD protection device (S253).These internal electrodes are formed by printing a conductive paste suchas Pd, Ag/Pd or Ag using a screen printing method or the like.

The respective plurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to form the coilunit are laminated and then compressed (S261), and the respectiveplurality of nonmagnetic sheets selected to form the coil insertion unitare laminated and then compressed (S262). At this time, in the pluralityof nonmagnetic sheets laminated to form the coil insertion unit, a sheetwith no opening is used as the lowermost sheet, so that the bottom ofthe coil unit is not exposed to the outside and is safely rested on thelowermost sheet after the coil unit is fastened to the coil insertionunit.

The plurality of nonmagnetic sheets laminated and compressed to form thecoil unit are cut at a predetermined size (S271). Thus, the coil unithaving a coil is formed by connecting the internal electrodes throughthe holes to be wound around the magnetic layers constituting a magneticcore.

The direction of the coil unit is adjusted such that the internalelectrodes exposed to the outside of the coil unit are connected to theinternal electrodes of the coil insertion unit, and the coil unit isthen inserted into the coil insertion space of the coil insertion unit(S280).

The internal electrodes are formed on the uppermost sheet of the coilinsertion unit to be connected to the internal electrodes exposed to theoutside of the coil unit (S290). Here, the internal electrodes areformed to extend up to the coil unit to be connected to the internalelectrodes exposed to the outside of the coil unit and formed to extendto one and the other surfaces of the coil insertion unit.

A rectangular hexahedral laminate is manufactured by matching the coilunit into the coil insertion space of the plurality of sheets of thecoil insertion unit, laminating the plurality of sheets selected to formthe ESD protection device and the plurality of sheets used as upper andlower cover layers, compressing them under a predetermined pressure, andthen cutting the laminate at a desired unit chip size (S300). At thistime, a dummy sheet may be further interposed between the upper coverlayer and the common mode noise filter, and a dummy sheet may be furtherinterposed between the ESD protection device and the low cover layer.

The sheet laminate is burnt-out in a furnace, for example, at atemperature of 230 to 350° C. for 20 to 40 hours to remove bindercomponents, and then sintered, for example, at a temperature of 700 to900° C. for 20 to 40 hours (S310). Here, in the circuit protectiondevice according to the present invention, since the sheets for theupper cover layer, the common mode noise filter, the ESD protectiondevice and the lower cover layer are the same, the sheets can besimultaneously sintered, and thus, a manufacturing process of thecircuit protection device can be simplified.

The external electrodes are formed on outer surface of the sheetlaminate sintered in the furnace (S320) and then sintered at atemperature of 600 to 800° C. for 30 minutes to 2 hours, therebycompleting the circuit protection device according to the sixthexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Meanwhile, the circuit protection device manufactured as described aboveaccording to the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention maybe connected to input/output terminals with 2- or more channels byapplying the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present inventiondescribed with reference to FIG. 11. In this case, at least two coilinsertion spaces 820 may be formed in the coil insertion unit 800, andat least two coil units 700 may be inserted into the coil insertionspaces 820, respectively. That is, like the fourth exemplary embodimentof the present invention shown in FIG. 11, in the common mode noisefilter 200, at least two coil units 700 are inserted into the coilinsertion unit provided with at least two coil insertion spaces 820, andinternal electrodes are formed in the coil insertion unit 800 to beconnected to internal electrodes exposed to the outside of the coilunits 700. The internal electrodes are laminated and joined, and eightexternal electrodes are formed as shown in FIG. 6. In this case, commonmode noises and ESD inputted through many channels can be preventedusing one circuit protection device although the number of channels isincreased, so that the number of circuit protection devices can bedecreased, and thus, the size of electronic devices can be reduced.

By applying the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present inventiondescribed with reference to FIG. 12, magnetic layers can be formed atfour sides of the plurality of sheets of the coil unit according to thesixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention such that themagnetic layers are not connected to one another. The magnetic layersare formed at the four sides of the plurality of sheets 710 to 790 ofthe coil unit 700, thereby preventing leakage of magnetic flux.

Meanwhile, it will be apparent that the magnetic layers formed at thefour sides of the plurality of sheets of the coil unit in the commonmode noise filter 200 may be applied when the sheet 330 having theinternal electrode 331 connected to the external electrode 600 of amulti-channel circuit protection device and the ESD protection device300 is formed in plurality.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a circuit protection device, comprising: preparing a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets; optionally forming holes in the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets; optionally filling the holes of the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets with a magnetic material, a conductive material or an ESD protection material; optionally forming internal electrodes or coil patterns on the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets; laminating and compressing the nonmagnetic sheets and then cutting the laminate; and sintering the laminated and cut magnetic sheets; wherein a common mode noise filter and an ESD protection device are laminated.
 2. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 1, wherein the common mode noise filter is formed by optionally forming a plurality of coil patterns, internal electrodes, holes filled with a conductive material, and holes filled with a magnetic material on the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets, wherein the holes filled with a magnetic material are formed to be connected up and down, and the coil patterns are formed to be connected up and down by at least one hole filled with a conductive material and to surround the holes filled with a magnetic material.
 3. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 2, wherein the ESD protection device is formed by optionally forming a plurality of internal electrodes and holes filled with an ESD protection material on each of the nonmagnetic sheets, wherein the holes filled with an ESD protection material are connected to the internal electrodes.
 4. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 3, further comprising forming first external electrodes on a first side and a second side opposite the first side of the laminated magnetic sheets, and forming second external electrodes on a third side and a fourth side opposite the third side which are intersected with the first and second sides.
 5. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 4, wherein the first external electrodes are formed to be connected to some of the internal electrodes of the common mode noise filter and the internal electrodes of the ESD protection device, and the second external electrodes are formed to be connected to some of the internal electrodes of the ESD protection device.
 6. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 5, wherein the ESD protection material is formed from a mixture in which an organic material is mixed with at least one conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W and the like.
 7. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 6, wherein the ESD protection material is formed by further mixing a varistor material or an insulating ceramic material with the mixture.
 8. A method of manufacturing a circuit protection device, comprising: forming a coil pattern optionally surrounding a magnetic material on a plurality of nonmagnetic sheets and forming an internal electrode connected to the coil pattern to prepare a common mode noise filter; filling an ESD protection material in a hole optionally formed on the plurality of nonmagnetic sheets and forming an internal electrode connected to the ESD protection material to prepare an ESD protection device; and laminating the common mode noise filter with the ESD protection device.
 9. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 8, wherein the common mode noise filter has holes formed to pass through each of the plurality of sheets, and the magnetic material is filled in the holes.
 10. The method of manufacturing a circuit protection device of claim 9, wherein the ESD protection material is formed from a mixture in which an organic material is mixed with at least one conductive material selected from RuO₂, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au, Ni, Cr, W and the like. 